Place-making upon return home : influence of greenway experiences

Abstract

Recreation experience has long been studied for its close relationship to human health and personal development. Previous research focused mainly on the experiential and on-site outcomes. This study extends past research to explore the critical role of recreation experience on human development, particularly after people return home. To do so, an experiential-emergent-learning model of recreation experience is proposed and empirically experimented. Based on a participant-generated photo technique and a two-step interview protocol, support was provided for home-based behavioral changes as an enduring outcome of greenway experiences. Through tracking the interplay of recreationists’ greenway experience, self-development, and home place-making, the study illustrated a learning cycle between greenway experience and human-environment relationships. The implications suggest the potential of a greenway network for promoting pro-environmental behaviors and sustainable tourism.